Ingredients
1 1/2 cups rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon turbinado or light brown sugar
3 bay leaves
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and smashed
Freshly ground pepper
8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 3 pounds total)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preparation
Combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, bay leaves, garlic, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; add chicken and toss until coated with marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Remove chicken (reserving marinade) and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add half of chicken and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and brown other sides about 2 minutes more; transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
Return all chicken and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven; add reserved marinade, making sure liquid comes halfway up sides of chicken (you may need to nestle it). Bring to a simmer over high, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a clean plate. Skim fat from liquid with a spoon and discard bay leaves. Increase heat to medium‐high and reduce liquid until syrupy (you should have about 1 cup). Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.
